Motability in the Sunday Times

First thing I saw this morning. Can't get a link as it is through the paywall.

Anyway the headline is State hand outs BMWs to 'disabled' in £500m scandal'.Article goes to to describe how the system is abused as relatives of the recipients get the BMWs, keep them at separate addresses and swan around in a tax free luxury car.

Yes we know the system is abused by some (what system is not) but equally it is a life-line for others. In two thirds of cases the person with a disability is the named driver. 10% of the cars are adapted.

It is the scare-mongering tone of the article that grates. Another example of 'oh but they get [luxury!] free cars' school of journalism. A more investigative, less hysterical article would be more helpful especially in the current climate. (Observer, Independent maybe)

It is this sort of reporting that confirms in people's mind the fact the Motability = free luxury cars for those who don't need them, rather than essential transport hard come by for those who most certainly do.

My dad gets one of these every 3 years for my grandad. Dad pays so much towards it so if something happens to my grandad the car wont be taken from my dad straight away. So he owns half the car iykwim!? This time he has opted for a VW Caddy rather than a flash top of the range people carrier. Its better for my grandad. Some people do abuse it though. and its wrong.

Not only does the disabled person have to 'give up' their DLA for the vehicle, they have to pay an advanced payment if they go for a vehicle over and above the standard range, and for BMWs you're looking at an AP of over £2,000.

The disabled person themselves doesn't have to be the driver, therefore should they nominate a family member to have the car, then they're bound to use the car for their own use at times. There is nothing wrong with that, it's all perfectly legal.

My dad drives a Motability car, which is through my mum's DLA, and my dad had to pay an AP of about £400 for a vehicle that was easier for my mum to get in and out of.

Here is a more detailed assessment (of the DM which was almost word for word the same)fact check

One of the things that was upsetting was the fact that the headline 'State hand outs BMWs to 'disabled' in £500m scandal'. was at the top of the front page. The way papers are displayed in newsagents the headline would be seen by many people....

The newspapers will always print something scandalous or shocking to hook people in.OTOH, my SiL who can't even drive, has a car which is parked outside her house for 50 weeks of the year. The two weeks it is ever driven it's by her partner who takes her on holiday.

Never mind, we'll be able to use all that accessible public transport to get to work for below minimum wage. Don't you realise that Cameron understands because he had a million pounds disabled child? This is why he privatises loves and supports the NHS.

I am sceptical of any abuse being widespread. We bought an ex-Motability car from a website that partly specialised in them. All those on offer that I could see (and the one we bought) were bog-standard lower to mid-range small or family cars. It's an excellent scheme and if anythng should be more, not less, generous.

I wonder why all these articles are pursuing the line that the disabled are abusing the system, rather than (perhaps) being abused by their relatives? That was my concern when I read the article-there may be disabled people out there whose benefits are being co-opted by unscrupulous family members without their consent. Just like the blue badge scheme and various other things. Disabled-bashing is really getting out of hand now.